Slide and Shop With Elizabeth

Written
1993

 Her hair in a bow.

Combed to perfection and set with gel.

Dressed with color coordination

      in an elementary way.

Pink, red and plum with white shoes.

Off on a morning of adventure.

Today grandpa sitting.

Be sure that he goes to the parks

       and gets to push you in the swings.

Also show him the slides and how

      much fun it is

      to catch you at the bottom. 

Teach him also

      to be fearless by swinging

       high

and low.

Then up the highest ladder,

      and down the steepest slide.

Make your colors fly,

      shirttail out,

       hair escaping

      to make the casual look

      comforting to the old man. 

Take him by the hand and see

      that he gets safely

      through the parking lot.

Make him sit

     by the fountain

     while you browse the candy counter.

Have him try on shoes

     he doesn't need

     and look at matching shirts.

Take him up and down

      on the escalators.

Keep him entertained.

When he looks hungry

       get him a hamburger and french fries.

Be sure to ask for a second soda and

       whatever you do

       ask for more strawberries

       to model healthy eating.

And do let him

      pick up the bill.

He has to feel important again. 

Take him home,

      all worn out

      and ready for his nap,

      make him promise to take

      you back to the slides

      and hope

      he doesn't get cranky.

But when he sleeps

       through this date

        pretend you were asleep also.

Elizabeth is a grand grandpa sitter.

He didn't even know he was being sat.

 



Notes
Here it is 16 years later and Elizabeth is no longer a child. But she did take me to lunch in Bonita and she did ask for more strawberries- which she got and I did take a nap.heck I was but a child myself.